


your body was the map (i was lost in there)

by sondersoflight



Category: The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: M/M, horny at inconvient times: the fic, this is me trying to write something sexy but it's actually just feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-31
Updated: 2020-08-31
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:47:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26220640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sondersoflight/pseuds/sondersoflight
Summary: “I really wish,” Booker says in their left ear, breaking them out of the daze they were both in. “That you would try and remember to turn off your in-ear the next time.”
Relationships: Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova, background andromache/quynh
Comments: 15
Kudos: 591





	your body was the map (i was lost in there)

**Author's Note:**

> i'm sorry about this but also someone that is thinking about that time in malta his husband fucked his brains out while being experimented on is obviously someone who is constantly horny. which - good for nicky. mistakes are all mine, english is not my first language and this is unbetaed!

**i.**

There’s a party, in a huge house somewhere in the coast of Belize, oceans of people coming in an out. They are trying to rescue a group of children that have been trafficked by the home owner and the thing is they need this man to be distracted enough for Andy to be able to slip into his studio and retrieve the documents signaling the location.

Joe is the bait.

The patio is enormous, full of light and people talking and overlooking the beach. Nicky is hiding away in one of the ridiculous castle tower this man had built on the sides of his beach house. He slipped past the door pretty early, rifle hidden and set up camp to get a good view, just in case.

He tries to keep focused, to listen and engage with what Booker and Andy are doing but – he can see Joe from up here.

He is in the middle of conversation, smiling and laughing while holding a glass of some orange and green drink. The man laughs and leans forward the red wine in his glass moving dangerously close to Joe’s white shirt.

“Nicky,” Andy mutters in his ear. “Nicky are you there?”

“ _Si_ ,” Nicky says quickly and drags his finger to the trigger of the rifle out of habit. “Everything ok?”

“We are in,” she says. “Joe you can slip away now.”

Joe must hear her as well because he takes a step back, excusing himself with some flimsy line and starts walking across the patio and into the house. Nicky lets his eyes follow Joe out.

He looks amazing in that suit.

Nicky had picked it out of some small store in Italy, a couple of years back. It had looked just like he had imagined it would, clinging in all the right places and –

“Hi,” Joe mutters while pushing the door of the tower slightly ajar, flooding the room with soft light.

Nicky doesn’t startle. “How did you get here so fast?”

Joe closes the door behind him and walks a couple of steps towards Nicky – his cheeks are slightly pink. Up close his lips look wet and inviting and all of a sudden Nicky can’t really focus on much else.

“I had a good reason to,” Joe says and he takes another step, pressing his chest against Nicky’s.

“Why are we whispering?” Nicky says, trying to bite back a laugh.

Joe smiles back, a playful glint in his eyes. It’s the best thing Nicky has ever seen. Even after centuries – it will always be the best thing he’s ever seen.

“You know,” Joe says while slipping his arms around Nicky’s neck. “I really liked Belize the last time we were here. I have some good memories.”

“Hm,” Nicky hums but all he can see are Joe’s lips. “I remember a couple of things.”

Before Joe can say anything smart back, Nicky pushes him against the wall. He can tell whatever question he wanted to ask dies in his throat as soon as Nicky drops to his knees, his hands immediately reach out to thread through Nicky’s soft hair.

“Here?” Is all Joe says but Nicky can see the glint in his eye even from below.

“Yes, here.” Nicky answers while he undoes the button of his pants. “I’ve been wanting to do this all day.”

Joe laughs and Nicky peers up at him with a shit eating grin. He can tell just by touching that Joe is already halfway there. He pulls his hard cock out of his underwear and squeezes it, then licks a slow line along the underside.

“Nicolo,” Joe sighs and his head falls back to the wall with a thud.

Nicky gives an expert twist to his wrist and Joe’s hips stutter. He reaches down and places his thumb on Nicky’s lips. And Nicky seems to read his mind because he takes Joe into his mouth, groaning as if he’s been itching to do it all day.

“ _Nico-“_ is all Joe manages to get out. He feels his brain is short circuiting the same way it does every time Nicky has dropped to his knees across centuries.

He can hear the voices and the laughter that floats up from the patio underneath them, the sound of the waves softly crashing by the beach. But it’s all background noise when his whole attention is on the man in front of him.

Nicky pulls off and he licks his lips – and then swallows Joe down again, hollowing his mouth to make sure he is covering his teeth and grips Joe’s waist hard. And Joe lets his hips stutter when Nicky takes him further into his mouth and swallows around him, choking himself with enthusiasm.

“Nicky,” Joe warns one more time and he is cut off by Nicky’s moan around his cock.

Joe comes down Nicky’s throat and Nicky keeps swallowing until he’s done. He pulls off, licking his lips and swiping with the back of his hand. They are both panting, and their eyes are bleary.

He pulls Nicky up by the collar of his shirt and kisses him, sucking on his tongue. He holds Nicky by the neck with one hand and uses the other to slip under Nicky’s suit pants and gets a hand around him, making him jerk in response.

Nicky bites his lip and pulls his hair and comes whimpering against Joe’s mouth, mumbling in the old Italian he always slips to when he’s like this.

They both keep pushing their mouths together for a while after, coaxing sweet kisses as if they are not in some tower of someone else’s house, as if Nicky’s rifle is not set up a few meters away from them.

“I really wish,” Booker says in their left ear, breaking them out of the daze they were both in. “That you would try and remember to turn off your in-ear the next time.”

They can hear Andy snickering on their right ear.

**ii.**

The ticking sound of the clock is driving Nicky crazy.

They are lying low in one of Andy’s safehouses, waiting until whoever has hired them this time gives them the green light to go ahead. Booker is sleeping lazily in the couch, going in an out of sleep while the brown binder that is currently resting on his stomach slips further and further down.

Andy is sitting in the chair next to him, her eyes moving furiously over whatever it is that she is reading. She keeps flicking the pages and going back and forth the same folder.

It feels nice, being like this – quiet and lying low like any regular family on vacation somewhere in Germany. Across from Nicky – Joe is sitting stirring a cup of warm tea and acting like he is going through his briefing. Nicky can tell he is not – by the way he is biting the inside of his cheek.

A second later Joe looks up and closes the binder in front of him.

“Stop that.” he says, placing his arms on the smooth wooden table.

Nicky frowns, confused. “Stop what?”

Andy’s eyes are still on the paper in front of her, but he can see the corner of her mouth is slightly turned up.

“You know what.”

Joe looks good. His hair is messy from late sleep and his voice sounds rough; he is wearing a grey sweatshirt that tightens around his arms when he crosses them. Nicky’s eyes go over him once more, finding all the places of his face that are his favorite.

But nevertheless, he continues to look at Joe with a clueless expression.

“Giving me those looks,” Joe mutters but he is smiling as he sips his tea. “We have to finish briefing.”

“I know that.” Nicky says, but he bites his lip and lets his eyes go over Joe once more. “Andy said that.” He adds and he leans back, spreading his legs and placing his arms over the back of the chair next to him.

“Andy wants us to finish briefing.” Joe says as if he were speaking to a child.

Andy tsks. “Do not bring me into your foreplay.”

Nicky waves her off and pushes off the chair and mutters something about needing some air and he smiles when a second later he hears Joe’s chair scraping against the floor and Andy snorting.

The safe house is somewhere near Walldorf, in the middle of the countryside, so as soon as he walks outside all he can see is the sky expanding over everything, clear and full of stars. It’s breathtaking.

The light pours through the door briefly when Joe walks through the door and then disappears behind it. Joe walks slowly, and when he is finally positioned behind Nicky he wraps his arms around him and presses his face into Nicky’s neck.

His hands are so big, and he slides down and grips Nicky through his jeans.

“You’re incorrigible.” Joe says but he bites Nicky’s earlobe and laughs, sounding a little out of breath.

“Just ten minutes in heaven.” Nicky teases and he turns in Joe’s arms. Joe is smiling, with dimples and wrinkles at the corner of his eyes. Nicky intertwines their fingers and pushes them both down onto the grass.

“I think the game is actually seven,” Joe says softly but he leans forward and tastes Nicky. He always tastes so sweet, it’s almost impossible to resist.

Nicky shoves his hands under Joe’s sweatshirt, feeling the warm skin he likes to watch flush under his fingers so much, touching the hair that travels down Joe's navel and disappears under the waistline of his pants. He likes to kiss that path.

“I’ll have to make those extra three count then.”

Joe flips them over and gets between Nicky’s leg, nuzzling his jaw.

“ _Nicolo,_ ” Joe whispers and Nicky feels all the blood in his body rush down, the familiar heat pooling in his belly. He wants it so much.

His hands slide down and slip into Joe’s brief and pulling him out. He maneuvers them both and gets them both onto their hand, slowly fucking into his fist. He jerks them both off lazily.

“ _Nicolo_ ” Joe mutters again, “I want to see you.”

Nicky can’t breathe. After so many years it seems impossible that this man still takes his breath away, still makes his knees quiver and heat rush through his veins. He is not good with words, that is Joe’s thing.

So, he just lifts his face and hopes all the overflowing affection pouring out of him is written across every line and he leans forward to kiss Joe and swallow his whimper.

**iii.**

Nile somehow manages to rope them into clubbing.

Surprisingly Andy is the first one to agree, she tries to help as much as possible for Nile not to think about everything she’s lost. Since they have been staying at the same location for a bit – they also get talked into it.

“You’ll make my mood better.” Nile had said and she had used that kicked puppy look she has been perfecting for a while.

That is how Nicky ends up on a Friday night on some fancy club in Sydney, watching Nile knock back shots and dance with Joe to the beat of some pop song. Nicky takes a sip of his drink and watches Andy down a glass besides him.

“Are you leaving soon?” Andy asks as she watches Nile twirl into Joe’s arms.

“Next week.” Nicky says, observing how the white t-shirt he is wearing cling to Joe’s back. His mouth feels dry.

“I mean here.” Andy says biting back a laugh. “Are you listening to me?”

Nicky snorts but then he sees Joe staring at him across from the dancefloor. He knows that look too well.

Andy full on laughs now and waves at Nile. “Go,” she says. “I’ll take care of her.”

Joe walks towards a door and as if there were a string holding them together, Nicky gets up from his seat and follows him – seeing only him as he pushes through the crowd. Once he steps inside the poorly lit bathroom he immediately notices there is no one there except for Joe, who is standing across from him, leaning against a brick wall.

“I want you.” Is the first thing Nicky mutters as he walks across the small room and pushes Joe further into the wall covering him with his body.

“And they say romance is dead.” Joe says and he reaches out to intertwine their fingers together.

There is a warm breeze coming through a small window up the wall, the neon light buzzing and glowing. Nicky takes their intertwined hands and pulls Joe into a stall.

“Are you serious?” Joe asks but he walks along and lets Nicky push him against the wall in the semi dark again, once they are inside he pushes the door closed with his a kick.

Nicky feels intoxicated just looking at him. It’s dizzying the knowledge that this man knows him completely and loves him all the same. That they belong to each other, and that they want each other, all the time. He leans forward and kisses the smirk off Joe’s mouth.

His hands run down Joe’s body lazily and he whispers. “Kiss me?”

_“Sempre”_ Joe says and is the best thing Nicky is allowed to do.

Like Joe’s moaning deeply when they kiss, pushing their bodies together and titling his head and cradling Nicky’s head, like he is the most precious thing is not what immortality feels like. He can taste de alcohol in Joe’s tongue and wraps his arm around his waist to pull him further into the kiss.

“I want to go back to the house,” Joe mutters against his lip. “I want to be inside you.”

“I want you now.” Nicky says and his hands move to Joe’s belt.

And still even when he can read Joe at his every thought – Nicky still waits for him to nod. Instead – Joe flips them around, pushing Nicky against the wall, and falls to his knees.

Nicky runs a hand through his hair, hearing the dull thud of the music behind the walls of the club that spills out whenever someone opens the door. A second later – all the sounds around them fade away when he’s taken into Joe’s wet mouth.

He moans and sucks so deliciously that Nicky’s orgasm spikes out of nowhere. Joe knows his body, plays it like an instrument and when he looks up at Nicky through his eyelashes, it’s all it takes.

Joe comes back up a second later, while Nicky grips the wall behind him and tries to bring the world back onto his axis. He feels his breath slowing down slightly as he pulls himself back into his pants slowly.

When he is done he leans back and closes his eyes and when he opens them again he sees Joe smiling satisfied, wiping his mouth as if he does not have a care in the world. His hair is messy and his mouth is red and Nicky feels his heart pushing against his ribcage like crazy, like the first time and every time after that.

“We should go back.” Nicky says and reaches out to run his fingertips across Joe’s forearm.

“Well,” he says as if he’s thinking it over. “You do still owe me a dance.”

**iv.**

Nicolo is tired.

He is tired and his muscle ache – winter is close and the cold make his bones vibrate with it.

He spends a lot of time working and even more time thinking. Thinking about what this gift from God means. Thinking about the life he left behind but not really missing it. Thinking about how many times he killed Yusuf and how now it feels like he could never hurt him again.

They came to a truce years ago – begrudgingly at first. Until they finally understood they should transit the path together, wherever it may lead them.

He wonders almost every day if he is allowed to say something – to talk about this nameless thing between them. Sometimes he even wonders if it means anything at all to Yusuf as it does to him, but that doubt is cleared easily. It’s obvious to him Yusuf cares deeply, Nicolo just wishes he could have more.

Nicolo finds himself sitting by the small garden he has managed to plant in the endless backyard of the house. A small lost thing as far from every city and road as possible to avoid raising any unwanted attention.

He is cutting some weed off when the blade slips and slices his hand a bit. He watches the blood pour out for five seconds and then his skin closes in, as if there was never any wound at all.

A second later he hears steps coming from behind and he almost jumps back when he sees Yusuf’s familiar figure with two others behind him.

“ _Ciao,”_ Yusuf says and he leans close, their hands brushing but not touching under the look of the two women that stand patiently behind him. “Nicolo, these are Andromache and Quynh.” He explains. “They came to find my today while I was at the village.”

Nicolo looks at them. The woman Yusuf pointed out as Quynh smiles – her eyes are kind. He knows he’s seen them before.

“They are like us,” Yusuf continues. “They found us – through the dreams.”

Nicolo can still feel the blood running down his hand – or what was left of his now closed wound. He drops the blade to the ground and turns to look at them, amazed he sees in front of him the faces he has seen in so many dreams.

“How did you find us?” Nicolo speaks after a few seconds.

“We should go inside,” Andromache says and she grabs Quynh by the hand. “We have plenty to discuss.”

It’s a long afternoon.

Nicolo does not talk much, he just listens to every magnificent story Quynh can tell. She is incredibly expressive and fun. Andromache is more guarded, but Nicolo can see the affection that clouds her eyes whenever she looks at her companion.

Once the night falls, Yusuf guides them into his bedroom and lets them know to wake them in case they need anything. He closes the door behind him, the light of his candle wavering with the wind.

“My friend,” Yusuf says, “We shall have to share like old times.”

Nicolo smiles and nods. They don’t have much just a small cot where they will barely fit and a small table Yusuf made. He settles the candle on the table and then falls in the cot, moving himself against the wall.

When Nicolo lies down as well, Yusuf is at mere centimeters, so close that even when the poor light he can still make out some of the freckles the sun has painted on his skin. He aches so much to lean forward and just… – but Nicolo pushes the feeling down.

“There is something else Andromache said while we were walking back here.” Yusuf whispers and Nicolo can feel the hot breath on his lips. Before he speaks again, Yusuf settles his hand over Nicolo’s, as if he is trying to offer some comfort.

“You are frightening me.” Nicolo whispers back.

“This is not forever.” Yusuf says. “Immortality, it’s not. They knew another one like us – and one day, the wounds just stop healing. Without warning.”

Yusuf swallows.

“We will have to be more careful.”

Something in Nicolo’s chest shatters at the vulnerable tone in Yusuf’s voice. He knows the other man well enough to know what he is thinking. About every time they killed and hurt and maimed each other and what if it had been, what if he had killed and how would they know when –

“Do not.” Nicolo says and he squeezes Yusuf’s hand. “Do not dwell on what has already passed.”

Yusuf moves an inch more and presses his forehead against Nicolo’s.

“Do not leave me.” He says like it’s an order. Like Nicolo ever would if he had a choice. “Do not go without me.”

Nicolo moves the missing inch and finally – finally presses his lips against Yusuf’s. He doesn’t even have to ask, Yusuf opens his mouth and lifts his hand to cup Nicolo’s jaw, sending goosebumps down his spine.

“Do not go –“ Yusuf still mutters against his lips while he pulls Nicolo on top of him and parts his legs to give him room between them.

Yusuf kisses him in a way that drives him crazy – Nicolo has never been kissed before but he does not think he would ever want to be by any person that was not the man in front of him. He grinds down again and tangles his fingers on Yusuf’s curls, like he has thought so many times before.

They kiss, desperately and wantonly, silencing each other with their lips and moving against each other for what it feels for hours, until Nicolo feels on a tethering edge that makes his fingers curl and his blood rush and a bout of pleasure explodes behind his eyelids. He feels Yusuf tense below him and moan into his mouth desperately before he settles down.

He falls sleep lying on top of Yusuf, their limbs and hands still curled together. Morning finds them with the soft sunlight creeping through their window, Nicolo first hears the sound of Yusuf’s even and deep breathing under him.

Tension creeps up his spine immediately, as he realizes what went on between them last night, how they did not talk before or after – he wonders if Yusuf will want to act like nothing happened, if he had too much wine, if –

“I can almost hear you thinking.” Yusuf says, his eyes still closed and a smile upon his face.

Nicolo drops his head in the crook of Yusuf’s neck and breathes in – wanting nothing more than to lean forward and press a kiss against the skin there.

“I meant what I said.” Yusuf finally speaks. “I do not wish to keep on coming back to this world if you are not with me. For all these years I have measured my affection – trying not to make you uncomfortable, trying to preserve – but now knowing it could end at any time.” Yusuf sighs. “If you will have me – I would stay with you until that time comes.”

Nicolo feels his heart stutter in his chest, pressing so hard against his chest. His silence makes Yusuf open his eyes – but he does not speak again. He waits.

“My heart belongs to you only _caro._ ” Nicolo says, slowly. “You must know that it will always be yours.”

Yusuf kisses him, caressing his jaw with his thumb and smiling against his mouth. He pulls back and then he presses another kiss to his mouth. His face hurts from smiling and he can see Yusuf’s eyes are shinning.

And when later during the day Quynh asks if they all had a good rest, while Andromache sighs, Yusuf nods enthusiastically and Nicolo does blush at the playful glint in her eye.

**v.**

“I am very pissed off.” Joe yells while he cuts through another person.

“It’ll be over in a minute.” Andy says and she pushes her knife into someone’s throat – and kicks their knees.

Being ambushed in a basement is hard.

“I’m going to fucking cut through you when we are done with this Booker.” Joe says and he pulls down another guy breaking his neck. “This is sloppy work.”

“Only one left!” Booker says.

Joe hears a gunshot and when he turns he sees Nicky falling to the floor – he sees red for a second and walks forward, crushing the soldier head against the wall until he is certain he is no longer breathing and discards his body to the side.

He immediately goes down on his knees – Nicky is lying down, part of his brains are scattered across the floor and his eyes are open, vacant and staring at nothing. He cradles Nicky’s head on his knees and waits to feel the pulse pick up again under his touch.

He waits.

Andy is shaking shards of bones from her jacket and Booker turns to him, a slight worry on his face. A couple of minutes go back and Joe feels the familiar tension, the fear creeping on the back of his mind. The endless string that comes every time he looks over at Nicky dead and he does not move. _Why is he not waking up? Why is he not waking up? Why is he not moving? And what if it’s the last time and he left without me and –_

“Joe,” Andy says and takes a careful step towards them. She must see something on Joe’s eyes because she doesn’t walk closer.

“Joe, I’m sorry I didn’t –“ Booker starts but Andy stops him, just by raising her hand.

He realizes with almost indifference that he is crying, he can feel the warm tears running down his face, and he is clenching his jaw against a sob that is building in the back of his throat.

“ _Nicolo, destati_.” Joe whispers, almost pleading. “ _Nicolo_ -“

And a second later, Nicky gasps and it’s the sweetest sound Joe has ever heard. He lunches forward and spits out the bullet that had gone through his brain.

He hears Booker sigh in relief and Andy closes her eyes for a moment.

“ _Habibi_ ,” Nicky mutters and he reaches up to wipe a tear that is running down Joe’s cheek. “Are you crying?”

Joe leans down and presses a kiss and then another one and then another one on Nicky’s lips and cheek and nose and forehead, feeling the hot tears sliding down his face and how Nicky wraps his fingers around his trembling wrists.

“We need to get out of here.” Andy says. “We need to get out now.”

Booker rushes forward towards the door, calling in his radio to the plane and Andy follows close. Joe hurries to get up and then he leans down to help Nicky off the floor. He can tell Joe is lost in his head – probably still angry Booker had not done enough research to not get them ambushed in a fucking basement. It only takes one soft look, one touch for Nicky for him to slip into the soft, smiling Joe that only appears always for him.

As soon as they get in the plane Joe drags Nicky towards the back seats and pulls the divisor curtain shut when Booker looks like he might try to apologize again.

Once they have what little privacy they can afford on the plane – Joe takes a couple of steps and crowd into Nicky’s personal space. 

“Come here,” Nicky says, and he runs his hands up and down his arm – as if he is trying to warm him up.

Joe knows enough to know when he is being managed, but he can tell the anger is dying down. Nicky can read his eyes – looking at him with heat and desire.

“I need you.” Joe mutters, sliding his hands under Nicky’s t-shirt, feeling him hot and alive under his hands, feeling the fear easing the grip on his heart. “ _Nicolo_ ,”

Nicky nods – pushes him onto the seat and rubs his spread thighs, keeping his eyes locked with Joe’s. Nicky slides his right hand up Joe’s groin and cups him. He coaxes Joe into a kiss, dirty and rough, sucking on Joe’s tongue and groaning into his mouth.

After a couple of seconds, Nicky pulls away Joe chases his lips, shallow breathes coming out of his mouth – irises blown out. Nicky kisses him again, softer this time.

Joe presses him close, holding the back of his neck tight, he needs to have Nicky impossibly closer, inside him. He wishes they were not in the back of a plane, suspended somewhere between Azerbaijan and Austria with a pilot and Andy and Booker in the front of the plane.

Nicky unbuckles Joe’s belt and slips his hand in – Joe spreads his legs wider to give him more room. A second later he slides down and kisses Joe’s navel, and takes him into his mouth, twisting his tongue and sinking down with a moan that comes deep from his chest.

He feels his body is hot – almost aflame and he can’t tell if it’s over in minutes or hours but he can feel Joe caressing him and touching his hair. He feels Joe quiver under his hands and presses his cheek against his half naked tight.

“I’m here…” Nicky mutters the words muffled against the skin. “I’m here Yusuf.”

“ _Ti amo.”_ Joe says and he caresses Nicky’s jaw and he leans down to take another kiss, diving down into Nicky’s mouth to chase the taste of himself. “You always leave me breathless.”

Nicky feels the blood pooling in his cheeks – and his heart beating out of control. Joe is never embarrassed to say – in the possible corny way how much he loves him. It makes Nicky melt. He does not want him to ever be.

The look of awe and adoration on Joe’s face is only interrupted by Booker’s voice. “Are you done now? Can I tell Nicky I’m sorry?”

“Shut up.” Joe answers back – smiling.


End file.
